Mounting Draculas?

[Faerygirl]

Is this a good idea?
I personally do not grow them, but a friend just bought 2 (D. lotax and D. vespertilio) and wants to know if mounting is an option?

[Mahon]

These two Dracula species will grow well mounted if they are placed in cooler temperatures with very high humidity (or plenty of available water). If there is no facility (cool house or terrarium) with proper conditions, then it's best to grow in sphagnum moss (preferably live) in a shallow saucer.

-Pat

[Faerygirl]

Thanks so much Pat! I will pass it on.
I'd like to try some of them myself but I am a little scared I would off them. I didn;t do very well with Masdevallias

[Faerygirl]

well, I inherited some of these 2 Draculas, surprise surprise.
Can you offer some more specific knowledge??
I ready about your Vampira experiment. Should I try growing them outside here? (Gainesville)

[Mahon]

Congrats on the inheritance If you grow them outside, then you should probably leave them in a net pot with sphagnum moss (live is always better). I heard it's pretty cool up there right now, so thats a plus...

-Pat

[Faerygirl]

Cool? Whose weather have you been watching? It was 83 today. It's been in the high 70's low 80's all week. Low tonight: 60. That's an excellent low for March...the 80's a routine. Been driving with the top down in my Boxter S. But then, my criteria for putting the top down is 55F and a hoodie.
A cool front is supposed to blow in on Friday and give us 2 nights of 40's, then back up again.

[daemondamian]

Hi Faerygirl,
I'm trying out a Dracula vampira on a terracotta tile with the bottom sitting in a container of water. So far so good- just keep having to spray the darn aphids!

I also have a Stelis porschiana growing mounted on a treefern which the grower said he grows sitting in a tray of water, in fact the bottom of it had algae on it! He lets it dry out some in Winter. I've put it sitting in a tray of water and it has grown and rebloomed for me, so I'd say why not give it a go?!

Damian.